~

"Luffy- Luffy-" Luffy opened his eyes to white and a feeling of hooves on his shoulders. It was Chopper, Luffy registered. He was shaken again. "Luffy what are you doing here? Are you ok?" The little reindeer doctor asked, worried. It wasn't every day that the strawhat boy came to the infirmary on his own.

"Mmm... Toraooo..." Luffy mumbled rubbing his eyes to get the sleep off.

"Torao?" Chopper tilted his head in question but moved out of the way when Luffy got up in an instant the next moment and whined when his brain really caught up that the infirmary bed he had been sleeping leaned on was empty. "Are you ok? Does it hurt anywhere?" Chopper asked again then his eyes popped out when the older straightened and the doctor saw all the dried blood on his friend's shirt. "IS THAT YOUR BLOOD?!"

"I'm ok Chopper, it isn't mine." Luffy dismissed his friend's worry and looked around the area. It was clean and spotless but someone as keen as Chopper could probably pick on the little things that had been moved. Moving around, Luffy's eyes fell on the wad of cash on the bed and his brows furrowed and he got angrier the more he looked at it.

"Was someone here? Some things feel like they have been moved." Chopper observed."

"Yeah, he's gone though."

"Is he ok? Does he need help?" The doctor panicked.

"He's ok now I guess." Luffy frowned and headed for the kitchen with the reindeer on his head. He was bummed that Torao left before he woke up because Luffy was looking forward to waking up with Law still around.

"Who's this friend Luffy?"

"Sorry, he doesn't want anyone to know..." Luffy answered respecting Law's wishes.

"Oh ok. I hope he gets well."

"Thanks Chopper!"

Luffy got concerned, worried, weird and angry stares when they both reached the kitchen in the Sunny. The angry stare was from Sanji for appearing with blood stained clothes in his kitchen so Luffy first explained the situation then went to take a bath in the men's bathroom. After breakfast, Chopper took Nami to the infirmary and handed her the list of items that were used he found under the cash.

"The money exceeds the price of all things combined." Chopper informed Nami who counted the cash.

"This mystery friend must either be very rich or very generous." Nami said stuffing the cash in her purse with stars in her eyes. She would adjust it all to the budget stock later. "Did Luffy say who this friend was?"

"No, he wanted to keep it a secret, said his friend didn't want anyone to know." By this answer Nami has an inkling who that friend was.

~

It was in the afternoon when Luffy walked through the gates of the hotel Torao was staying at and passed through the lobby. He was about to make his way to the stairs but the reception lady stopped him, running over to him quickly in her high heels, Luffy always wondered how women could do that, he once tried Nami's heels and fell on his butt really bad.

"He looked extremely hungover so better be careful!" The woman advised and Luffy tilted his head in confusion.

Why was Torao drinking after getting shot?

Then it clicked that Torao must have been very out of it and looked like he was hungover. "Thanks!" Luffy waved and went on his way with the sunflower in his hand. Luffy had heard from and seen many people give flowers to the sick people they were visiting so he wanted to do this for Torao too, it felt nice. Penguin had told Luffy that Law liked Queen of the Night but that bouquet seemed too gloomy to the boy so he opted for something brighter, a sunflower.

When Luffy reached Law's door, he dialed the older's number because he didn't want to knock and upset Torao, he was already probably in a bad shape and sour mood. Luffy heard the ringtone from inside the room and waited for Torao to either pick it up or answer the call or decline it but the phone kept ringing.

Maybe Torao is busy.

After a few more rings, the call ended automatically but Luffy dialed again only for the same thing to repeat. The younger pouted. He knew Law was in the room and he was somewhat irked that he wasn't opening the door.

"Torao if you are avoiding me again, I'll just let you know that Imma break this door down!" Luffy called from his side.

No response.

"Alright! I gave you and this door a chance! Stand back!" Luffy pulled his non-existent sleeves back and licked his lips before he started backing away to acquire run-up distance. He was going to charge at the door like a bull but stopped at just the last second when he heard a very light 'it's open' from the other side. The voice was too small and broken for Luffy's liking.

Luffy cleared his throat and for some reason combed his hair to the side, he wanted to appear appealing to Torao and he had seen people do this to appear appealing so he was copying the movements. The knob turned and the door was surely unlocked. Luffy first closed the door behind him silently then greeted Law.

"Hey! Tora-" His words were caught in his throat when he turned around to face Law and found him barely holding himself up, hand clutching his wounded abdomen. Torao looked to be in extreme pain. His shirt was missing so Luffy could see all the bandages. Luffy panicked, again. He put the sunflower aside and ran to Law, crouching beside him to see how he could help but he didn't know what to do and Torao was not talking or telling him what to do so Luffy quickly did what occurred to him in that moment. He dialed Chopper.

"Luffy?" The reindeer inquired after answering the call.

"Chopper hey! Remember that friend? Well, he's-he's collapsed or something and-tell me what to do this looks bad-"

"Ok first, take a deep breath." Luffy did so. "Now tell me, does he have a fever?"

Luffy felt for Law's forehead and the older groaned, trying to move away. "Yeah! He's burning, is that bad?"

"Do you know anything else like what he might have eaten or drank that could have led to this situation?"

"Oh he was shot twice yesterday." The boy informed nonchalantly and shrugged at the weak glare Law gave him. At least he opened his eyes.

"What?! Bring him here Luffy! What's he doing alone?! Why did you let him leave and be alone when he was shot?!" Chopper screamed.

Luffy pulled the phone away from his ear. "He wanted to stay away and he'd probably kick my butt if I drag him to you so tell me what to do."

"Ok, first get him to a bed then soak a towel with cold water, squeeze the excess and put it on his forehead, that will be a temporary relief for the fever."

"Thanks Chopper!" Luffy ended the call without listening to the entire thing and getting distracted by just one piece of the guidance. He put his phone back in his pocket and moved to pick Law up. He didn't know how to go about it and the awkward movement leading to standing up seemed to have awakened the surgeon because he groaned really badly.

"Are you trying to help or finish the job?" Law hissed pushing Luffy away but the younger only tightened his grip.

"Hey! You're not doing good, so let me help!" Luffy snapped back, pulling Law more on himself, supporting his weight.

"Your entire elbow is jabbing my abdomen! I'd sooner bleed to death than getting to the bed-"

"Wha-?! Sorry!" Luffy let go all of a sudden when he realized that his elbow was indeed in the older's abdomen wound. But what Luffy didn't realize that there was no second arm supporting Law so the moment he let go, the older fell back to the ground.

"Fucking hell..."

"Sorry!" Luffy bent down to Law again but the doctor glared at him.

"Stay the fuck away from me, I can live through these but I'm not so sure I'll live through you-ugHh!" Law clenched his teeth at the particularly bad spasm along his left side and took shallow breaths to avoid more pain.

Luffy pursed his lips in a flat line and just stepped aside, letting Law stand on his own and following slightly behind so he could catch him if he fell. He wanted to do more for Torao but maybe the most he could do was get out of his way. Luffy stopped himself before his stream of consciousness went to his powerlessness and threw him into anxiety.

"Did you walk through the lobby without a shirt? Didn't anybody ask questions? The lady said you looked hungover, were you really?"

"That's what a coat is for." Law mumbled, only having enough energy to answer one question and dropped himself on the bed. "Get me a cold rag. Just use whatever you find."

"Oh yeah! The fever!" Luffy ran to the bathroom, looked around, found clean hand towels and decided to use those. He did as Chopper said and ran to Law, putting the wet towel on his forehead. "Why're you getting a fever? You should really see a doctor." As far as Luffy's experience went, fevers were bad and everyone always panicked and lost their heads whenever someone was down with a fever. He remembered how he was a headless chicken too when Nami got sick.

"I am one-"

"I know I know you're a doctor too but who looks after the doctor when they're sick?" Luffy asked and sat on the bed with his feet up, helping Law adjust pillows for a comfortable position.

Law coughed out a laugh at this, looking at Luffy with an expression the younger couldn't quite decipher. "Apparently you."

"Huh?"

"The fever is a good thing." Law breathed. "It's supposed to happen whenever a foreign object enters the body, this is a natural response."

"And your bandages getting red?" Luffy pointed. Law raised his head to see.

"Stitches sometimes bleed whenever they're new. No big deal." Luffy was satisfied with the answer, after all Torao was a doctor and a really good one at that.

The few moments Luffy was quiet, Law felt like he was forgetting something then remembered that he should probably get an xray done on himself to see the extent of the damage and if he could figure out the reason for the inexplicable itching in his abdomen wound. Luffy got off the bed and ran somewhere out of Law's sight but he was back before the surgeon even noticed properly. He wanted to sleep this off.

"Did you eat anything?" Luffy asked and Law opened his eyes to confirm if there was indeed a sunflower in Luffy's hand or if he was seeing things. "I brought you a flower."

"Too tired for that. Also find an empty bottle in my bag, fill it with water and put the flower in there." Law said and breathed deeply to try and calm his racing heart. He didn't know if it was because of his fever or because Luffy brought him a flower.

"Gotcha!" Luffy left again and Law could hear him going through things and the small 'aha!' that let the older know that Luffy had found the bottle.

The surgeon looked at the time then realized something, voicing it when Luffy got back. "Tell you what, order whatever, room service. No bread or anything heavy for me though."

"Yeah I know." Luffy answered and began dialing.

"And don't tell them about me getting shot!" Law warned just in case Luffy decided to blabber like he did with his doctor friend.

"Ok!"

Luffy kept watch over Law the entire time it took for the food to arrive. Even when the food arrived, Luffy wheeled the trolley himself to Law's bed so the older wouldn't have to move more than sitting up. If Torao said what he was feeling was normal, it probably was, Luffy trusted him. Chopper had texted Luffy about nutrition preferences that might be beneficial to Law so Luffy had ordered him a light porridge that he set up on the trolley but it didn't look like Law would get up without having painful movements. There was only one choice.

"Don't." Law warned and watched Luffy's face twist in confusion. "I know what you're thinking." He was only proven right when Luffy, regardless of Law's embarrassment, picked the bowl of rice porridge and a spoon, scooped some of it and blew on it to diffuse the heat. "I am not having you feed it to me."

"But you can't move right now." Luffy reasoned and held the spoon closer to Law's mouth.

"I will, now place it in my left hand."

"But-"

"I can move just fine." Law said and sat up to prove his point. If the pain that shot through his body blew a fuse in his brain, Law didn't let it show on his face.

"Ok." Luffy handed the bowl to Law and fixed a spoon in his other hand and kept an eye while eating his own food. By the time Luffy had finished everything, Law was only half done with his bowl and looked just about ready to collapse from exhaustion. Luffy carefully took the bowl out of the older's hand and helped him lay back down when he needed it. "Now sleep Torao, Chopper said it will help."

"It will." Law mumbled, already feeling himself doze off.

"I'm camping on the couch so just, y'know, call me if you need anything." Luffy informed, aware of the fact that Law wouldn't want Luffy hovering. He got up but stopped at the door when Law raised his head.

"You don't have to do that..."

"Don't be silly, you can't go through this alone."

"I can and I have. This isn't the first time I've been shot Luffy."

"You're sure bitching like it's the first." Luffy laughed walking back to the bed and Law couldn't help sort of agreeing.

"Yeah, I don't know why but these bullets left some uncomfortable wounds."

"Are you sure you took it all out?" Luffy asked, eyes hard on the bullet holes he knew were under the bandages.

"He fired twice, I took out two complete bullets."

"Still won't see a doctor?" The younger tried again.

"I'm fine."

"Ok. I'll be out there so just call."

"Ok..." Law agreed and closed his eyes, feeling the dull pain lull him under.

.

"Feeling better?" Luffy inquired from the couch when Law arrived in the living room after having woken up from a six hours sleep.

Law was shocked Luffy was still there but he shouldn't have been because Luffy always stayed for him. "Yes, it's better. Maybe the painkillers are finally kicking in."

"Don't work on you too?" Luffy made conversation and scooted to allow room for Law.

"Depends on the site of pain." Law breathed then checked the time. "I am not kicking you out but shouldn't you go home?"

"Nah, I'm ok here."

"Go home. Don't tire yourself like this."

"But then you'll be alone." Luffy tried to reason.

"I'm fine."

"And I'm worried."

"I'll call you if I need anything." Law countered because he really wanted Luffy to leave and get some rest in his own comfortable bed. The older could see the toll the worry was taking on Luffy, he was sagging.

"Promise?"

"I called you before too, didn't I?"

"You did." Luffy nodded. "Ok! I will come back tomorrow but if you need anything Torao, I don't care the time, just call me."

"Deal."

When Luffy had left, Law takes up the couch and sprawls himself on it, he was tired of the bed. He felt really uncomfortable in his abdomen. He tried to will the pain and discomfort away but it just won't stop. In a moment of mild annoyance and desperation, Law doubled his dose of painkillers and briefly closed his eyes. An itch and the need to go to the bathroom woke the surgeon up and he noticed he had been out for hours. The pain for Law had somewhat subsided but after having a look at the contents his bladder had emptied, Law gulped.

Fuck. This is bad.

There was blood in his urine, a telltale sign of infection, the last thing he wanted.

Law needed resources and quick analysis to figure out what sort of infection he had gotten and how to counter it at the earliest but he didn't know who to rely on for that. He knew Luffy would ask his doctor friend at a minute's notice but Law didn't want to expose himself to that. So he did something he always thought only stupid patients did. He self-prescribed without a diagnosis.

He was an idiot for it too because it made things worse.

~

"What the fuck are you doing pacing in the middle of the night?" Ace asked, hand on his heart. He had a scare when he left his room to get water and found his brother walking in circles in the living room, without the lights on.

"Oh Ace." Luffy noticed and stopped but the foot tap still gave his anxious energy away. "I'm worried."

"I don't know who you are worried about but I am worried about you. Why aren't you asleep or at least acting on that worry?"

"Can't sleep, bad dreams." Luffy answered in small phrases and restarted his pacing. He kept having nightmares about Torao, bad things happening because of the wounds. Luffy always knew his brain was imaginative but this was just crossing the limits.

"Then go relieve your worries." Ace advised and handed Luffy the keys. Ace knew his brother very well, just pacing and thinking would never put the youngest at ease, he needed to make sure himself, even if it was the middle of the night.

"Thanks!" Luffy accepted the keys and got his phone, put his feet in his sandals and ran out to get to Torao. He was worried that Torao needed help and wasn't able to ask for it, he had a bad feeling since that first nightmare where he just heard Law screaming in the darkness. Luffy was also worried if Law was taking care of himself, he knew how little Law did in the way of self-care like how he always seemed to forget about food and eating, what was up with that, seriously.

Luffy made haste and since there was a different lady at the reception, he was held up for a few minutes. Luffy tried the door first thing without even bothering to call Law on his phone. The door was still unlocked which meant that Law was not well enough to get up and lock it after Luffy had left earlier. The younger quickly searched for Law and found him on the couch, where he had left him.

Law was panting and small whines were escaping him by the second. He was shining from all the sweat that was coating his skin and he was feverish, Luffy felt by touching Law's forehead with the back of his palm. The worst part was, Law didn't even notice Luffy had arrived. He wasn't asleep but he wasn't conscious either.

"I knew I shouldn't have left- Torao I thought I'd check up on you- you're really pale right now is that normal?" Luffy crouched in front of the couch, trying to feel Law's pulse like he'd seen Chopper do countless times on him. "And I can't feel your pulse really well." Law opened his eyes at this and stared at Luffy for a few seconds before collecting himself enough to form words.

"Get a mirror." Law managed and saw his reflection when Luffy pushed the selfie camera of his phone in his line of vision. "Fuck-that-that's bad." Law coughed.

"What?" Luffy went still. "You need a doctor-Torao come on."

"No hospitals. I can't-" Law tried getting up but failed.

"I know I know. I know someone, she's a doctor, just arrived in Goa. She's staying here too-" Luffy spoke too fast but Law caught it. He needed help or he won't make it past the next few hours.

"What floor?"

"Two above us."

"Fuck. Make sure nobody else is in the elevator." Law advised standing up on wobbling legs, he groaned when he felt warm liquid trickling down his abdomen. Great he was bleeding again.

What the actual fuck is happening?! Maybe I should have gotten that x-ray my mind kept pushing me to get.

"Yeah I gotcha." Luffy said and picked Law up in both his arms without warning, careful of the wounds this time and snickered at the panicked yelp that left the older. "Don't worry, I'm strong."

"Fuck you."

"I haven't decided on that yet." Luffy joked and covered Law with a sheet he found lying on the couch. He made his way to the elevator and eventually to the door of the woman he referenced before. He knocked and waited. Then knocked again. The door opened on the fifth knock.

"It's the middle of the night-who, oh it's you. What are you doing here in the middle of the night you brat?"

"Hey baasan." Luffy greeted and Law tried getting out of his grip after having heard the voice. "Oh yeah, I need you to help him!"

Law opened his eyes a little to look at the woman and if he was only trying before, he now immediately sprung out of Luffy's grasp. "No fucking way-"

"Are you happy, you brat?" The old woman grinned pushing her glasses up.

~